April 27, 2012

No more "Poor Little Thing"

"Poor Little Thing" is now a precious flower.

The St. Louis Senior Dog Project is a not-for-profit dog rescue organization specializing in older dogs but taking in and finding homes for dogs of all ages...even puppies. Meet and adopt your new best friend 11 to 3 Saturday/Sunday , April 28 and 29 in the Kirkwood Petco near I-44 and Lindbergh or 11 to 3 Saturday, April 21 in the Bridgeton Petsmart. To see which dogs will be where as well as other adoptable dogs, go Here. We still have some money in This Dixie Fund to cover all but $50 of the fee for Red Ribbon dogs, generally those that are 8 years and older or have special needs that make them hard to place.

Dr Ivan first named her "Poor Little Thing." The name says it all. She was a pathetic old chihuahua picked up as a stray in Jefferson County. I'd told the shelter we'd take her in but only after Dr. Ivan examined her and gave me her opinion of the little dog's health and prospects.

Old and sad she seemed, but we all agreed she deserved another shot at the good life. So "Poor Little Thing" went into foster care with Norma, who gave her the more respectful name of "Keisha."

Keisha specialized in resting. She was very good at it. But gradually we all saw a little more spunk in this old gal, and finally Kelly offered her a permanent home. A miracle, I thought.

This week I received an update on Keisha's first four months in her new home. She now goes by "Dahlia."

"I thought it was appropriate, since the Dahlia is the national flower of Mexico. Dahlia’s a precious little Mexican flower. She’s spoiled with love and goodies. She gets along well with the rest of the critters (two other dogs and two cats). I absolutely adore her, and she seems mutually attached to me."

If that wasn't good enough, Kelly went on to describe how Dahlia is thriving with a healthy diet, nutritional supplements, a low-stress home and lots of love. "I'm hopeful that Dahlia will have more healthy, pampered years ahead of her. Her energy is way up. Her coat is also continuing to get fuller, longer and wavier."

As I reread the email, I had trouble believing this was the same dog. Kelly wrote that Dahlia was now "a lively, happy little girl. On warm days, she loves to bask in the sun. She and I both get cold easily, so we get a lot of cuddle time under blankets, and I keep her well-dressed. She has a growing wardrobe, and I think she may need a second dresser drawer before long.

"Anyway, your little girl is being showered with the love, warmth, and goodies she deserves. I think if she could tell you herself, she’d say she’s very happy with her forever home."

No one will ever again think of this little dog as a "Poor Little Thing." How things do change.

We've had some adoptions recently, including Pip, who was a stray in Jefferson County, and Pekie, a pekingese mix whose owner had died.

We've also taken in some dogs from an auction. They range from some that are completely healthy and well socialized to a few that will need some rest and rehabilitation before they're ready for new homes. Here's my favorite -- a miniature Australian shepherd pup named Rex. I've thought of setting his fee and adoption requirements high --- really hig. That way potential adopters will stay away, and I can enjoy him longer.

Donate A Bed

Through The Grey Muzzle Organization, a non-profit that helps homeless senior dogs, you can donate a bed directly to St. Louis Senior Dog Project.
Donate soon and one of our dogs will be resting their old joints on a cozy, orthopedic bed in time for the holidays.
There are several bed types and sizes to choose from, and all donations are tax deductible. To donate a bed, go to www.greymuzzle.org/where and look for the "Donate a bed to St. Louis Senior" button!